The present invention is directed a ceramic lined pump adaptor for connecting a pump outlet having a first diameter with standard piping of a larger diameter. The present invention is also directed to a ceramic lined in-line splitter having a pivoted gate mounted in a pipe with opposite surfaces of the gate being covered with ceramic material.
The concept of lining a pipe, in particular a pipe elbow with ceramic material to provide greater wear resistance to abrasive material flowing therethrough, is old and well known in the art as evidenced by the U.S. Patents to Davis (U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,155) and Osbourne (U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,353).
The use of flow diverters in a pipe fitting to selectively divert the flow from a main passage to either of two branches is old and well known in the art. The U.S. Patents to McIver (U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,062) and Marrelli (U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,450) each disclose a flow diverter valve pivotally mounted between two branch lines for diverting the flow from a main line to either of the branch lines upon pivotal movement of the valve. Neither of these patents, however, provide a ceramic lining for the pipe surfaces or ceramic material on the diverter valves.